# 58 year old PA sample reviews (Thanks to DanR)



## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

I first tried PA in 1956, so this sample is from the era when I was smoking PA pretty regularly. This will give me a chance to check my memory as well as the effects of age on the tobacco.
The sample is a little drier than the six month old PA I have, which is to be expected. In fact I am amazed it is as moist as it is after all this time in a can. It is also a little darker, as would be expected. The aroma is very similar. The only difference which can not be attributed to age is that the crimp cut is a little different. The older tobacco is a shorter cut which makes it look like tiny little cubes as opposed to the modern which looks like a short ribbon cut.
The sample took to the first charring light, not requiring a true light, and burned all the way to the bottom without a relight. With the first touch of the flame, I tasted.... PA. Well, what did you expect? The older tobacco is a little smoother and less alkaline, thus less bitey, but it is definitely PA. I have seen more difference in different batches of boutique tobacco separated by only months in age. I guess this is why they say burley is not a good candidate for aging. The good thing is that the tobacco did not deteriorate and even improved some. I do prefer the aged PA to the new. Also, it is nice to know that through the years and changes in ownership and production methods, PA is still PA...essentially the same as it was fifty years ago. Fifty eight years of aging has improved it, but not worth investing the time for the amount of results. For those with sensitive mouths that get tongue bite from the alkalinity of Burley, this is a chance to try it without scorching your tongue.


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## BigKev77 (Feb 16, 2008)

That was very interesting. Thanks for sharing the review.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

I'm breaking mine out tonight. p Thanks for the thread, Nick!


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## MontyTheMooch (May 27, 2012)

Awesome review.


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## gahdzila (Apr 29, 2010)

As a comparison, here's the PA tobacco of the month review thread - http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/v...co-review-prince-albert-september-2012-a.html

What struck me at first is how consistent it is - I smoke a lot of PA, and this stuff tastes like the PA I know and love. As Nick pointed out, the cut is a little different, and the color is a little darker (from the age, I assume). But the flavor is all PA! Frankly, I'm amazed that they've kept the recipe so consistent all these years. Age honestly hasn't done a lot to it - it has improved, it does taste smoother, the flavors are more melded...but to be brutally honest, it's not a huge difference.

But what a fantastic experience. To smoke this stuff and daydream about some gentleman snickering at the Santa on the side of the package as he buys it, bringing it home (maybe in his old '46 Ford that he's thinking of trading in), gingerly storing it on a shelf, all 20 years before I was born. To imagine that this stuff had been sitting in a box somewhere for 25 years when I was first learning to write my name. I can't help but feel like I'm experiencing something truly remarkable, something not many men get the opportunity to experience, and something I may never experience again.

Am I gonna start buying up PA to stock and age for decades? Ummmm....no. If I stumbled upon a similar can on eBay reasonably priced, would I snatch it up? ABSOLUTELY, no questions asked.

Huge thanks to Dan for generously sharing this tobacco with us!


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## karatekyle (Nov 2, 2010)

How cool!


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## 36Bones (Aug 18, 2011)

Great reviews! :tu


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## Deuce Da Masta (Dec 4, 2006)

Got out one of my cobbs and set flame to some of this PA that dan was kind enough to send my way! 

Im going to start by saying prior to this my experience with PA has been limited to a couple of bowls i was gifted by a friend. That being said....

The tobacco was slightly dryer then the sample of PA i got from my friend but i am very surprised its as good as it is. Lit really easy and stayed lit the entire bowl with no issues. Like everyone else mentioned above the taste is really close to what i experience with fresher PA, but a bit smoother and NO bite to it at all. I smoked a bowl rather quickly(had to get a bowl in while the kids were taking a nap) and still had no tongue bite. The flavors were a bit more subdued but a very pleasant smoking experience. Im glad i have another bowl or so left for me to smoke tonight!

Thanks again Dan it was a treat trying something this old.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Some stumbling onto these reviews may not have in context how we arrived here. The video of Dan opening the can to set Prince Albert free after 56 years: 




The full story is here: http://www.cigarforums.net/forums/vb/general-pipe-forum/312015-look-what-i-just-scored.html

The packaging of the tobacco Dan sent was extremely well done, as has been noted, professionally vacuum packed. Simply amazing. I regret not taking a photo of it, but I had lost my presence of mind marveling over it. I found a mason jar, snipped open the remarkably precise vacuum sealed plastic envelope and poured it onto a clean plate, quickly transferring most of it to the jar. But not before I had done my best imitation of Dan, smelling the contents! Heavenly! It seemed like PA, true enough, so I got my jar of ordinary PA and compared them. The old stuff smelled somewhat stronger to me -- or heavier, maybe, with somewhat more chocolate in the mix. Certainly darker and -- heftier.

The Country Gentleman had been hinting for the past couple of days since the envelope arrived to be the first to try it, and who could say no? He works so hard and gets a lot of dirty jobs, so I gave him first crack. No disappointment there! The 4Dot, the PA burner in chief, will have its day, but cobs have PA seniority. What a good smoke! Yes, PA, but like PA's big brother. A little older, a little more stable. It burned to the end without much help at all, just a couple of dampers in the middle. Excellent! Did I detect a little nicotine?

Next up, the little Mayfair. My oldest pipe now deserved at least the second try, and it was over all too soon. Small pipe, the Mayfair, more suitable for VA flakes and such like. It smoked beautifully, of course, but less than half an hour. PA has never been famous for burning slow, it's famous for not going out! And I haven't had to relight either bowl.

On to the TwoDot apple, possibly my best PA pipe. Now we're getting somewhere! The size of the cut packed perfectly into the TwoDot, gravity filled with a large mound pressed onto the top. The draw was ideal and the experience of smoking this PA finally started taking hold. I feel like Danny Dvito in "Twins" -- "FIVE million dollars, five MILLION dollars, five million DOLLARS!" What a lucky thing for us all, eh!?

It's better than the new PA. Not much, but better. This is three bowls in a row, and it's better. The snork has a little zing to it and, though I might well be imagining it, I think there's more nicotine there. It's still very mild, but there's more nicotine. I get the sensation it's like organic versus factory farm produce. Organically grown carrots or what have you have been shown to have greater concentrations of nutrients than fertilizer grown carrots. It's the difference between tomatoes grown in the garden and grocery store tomatoes (the expensive ones, not the plastic punkins). It's still PA, but there's more to it somehow, from the slightly bolder aroma to a more satisfying snork, and I don't attribute it to aging. It's the same, but more so.

I took the liberty of inhaling the first few puffs off this TwoDot, and it was exceptionally smooth, smoother than a "regular" cigarette, smoother than regular PA. I don't inhale much PA out of a pipe, but I do roll a cigarette once in a while and fire it up.. It doesn't say so anymore, but look at the video: "For Pipe or Cigarettes". The TwoDot is making it to the bottom, so I think I'll just roll one up for old times' sake and report on that too! The TwoDot is done, three in a row without a relight, right down to ash. _Plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose_.

It actually rolls easier than the new PA, probably due to the slightly finer cut that has already been pointed out. It's a trifle smoother than the new PA as cigarette, too, and that is most likely due to the aging and resultant mellowing of the tobacco. One again, I feel that the nicotine content is slightly higher, but I couldn't guarantee it all. I'm smoking it right down to a nub, like the bus driver in England taught me on the long rides to school. He smoked Woodbine "****". (That had a different meaning in England at the time.) When this can of PA was produced, I was smoking Woodbines myself, and my father was smoking Prince Albert!

All in all, it's been a thrilling couple of hours! My eternal thanks to Dan for this unique opportunity. Here's hoping he scores a 56 year old can of Edgeworth Ready Rubbed!


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## Desertlifter (Feb 22, 2011)

VERY cool thread, and great review - what an opportunity to fire up some history!

As a bonus, that Sextant coffee mug is very cool.


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## Troutman22 (Feb 2, 2011)

First things first - thanks Dan again for the samples. I have never had PA before so this review could actually be used some 50 years ago lol.

This stuff smells wonderful. After reading some of the other comments I guess this is how PA smells today. The cut is something new to me - you can almost pour it into your bowl. After getting my fill of the aroma and loading up half a bowl, I was ready to go. The pipe I have selected is a Yello-Bole pawn shop purchase that my GF surprised me with this week. I would never have bought the pipe myself, but its funny how things work out - this pipe and this PA just seem like a good fit.

It lights easily enough and stays lit. I char lite out of habit. I must mention that Burley and I don't agree with each other. I like the tobacco but physically it isnt something I can smoke very often. I get heartburn and a sore mouth. PA seems to be much milder for me in the heartburn department, it usually hits me quick. I come to a fast conclusion that this is a nuttty tasting leaf as I blow out a few huge white clouds. I am thinking this stuff is pretty damn good. My only OTC experience is with Captain Black White and that stuff is still the lowest rated tobacco Ive ever smoked. This is definataely a step up.

PA is not nearly as sweet as I imagined it would be, just a hint which is nice. As I approach the middle of the bowl I start to sense that this is the stuff my Grandpa used to smoke. Another huge plus as the memories start to hit me. I leave the pipe and return after 5 minnutes to check the room note, YES! this is one of my Grand Fathers tobaccos. Wonderful news, as he passed away before I started the pipe and regret not being able to discuss such things with him.

After a quick relight I finish my first smoke of PA. My mouth is just a little sore but not nearly as bad as i have experienced with other Burleys. No heartburn at all. I almost taste a hint of chocolate - I can see how this is such a popular and time tested baccy. I sit and drink a glass of Wine and consider how lucky I am to have experienced this sample. I can see myself smoking PA from time to time. Its not something I would smoke everyday but I will definately torch some when the urge hits. The nutty, slightly sweet, hint of chocolate at the end is definately worth a revisit. Luckily for me I have 2-3 more bowls of this aged classic. 

3.5 / 5 stars - by far the best Burley based baccy I have smoked. I think I will purchase a pouch of PA to finish breaking in this Yello-Bole and then smoke the last two samples for a comparison.


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## longburn (Mar 28, 2009)

Great review Nick on a unique opprotunity, i'm jealous, such a find doesn't come along everyday but you wrote up your exsperience perfectly and it placed me right there with you as you enjoyed it. Thanks again.


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## DSturg369 (Apr 6, 2008)

A big THANKS to Dan from me as well, as I was also one of the lucky recipients. 

I won't do a long review as have already been done. I feel that they all said it very well. 

Everyone that knows me knows that PA is my "go to". I just love the stuff. It has all the qualities and characteristics that I want in a tobacco. With that being said, if the sample that Dan sent to me was some other brand... I would change brands. 

It filled a MM Legend twice and half again, and those 2.5 bowls were pure heaven for me. I will be on the lookout for more like this, as I've already begun searching, checking, & rechecking "that site". 

On my 1 to 5 scale, this was a 6... Simply Outstanding!


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

DSturg369 said:


> On my 1 to 5 scale, this was a 6... Simply Outstanding!


:biglaugh: Well said, Dale!


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## Andrewdk (Feb 3, 2011)

So arriving home a few nights ago my wife hands me a yellow envelope and says "Come on open it I've been dying to know what the hell it is/" (you can feel the plasticy rippling through the envelope). Glanced at the address didn't recognise it, ok something from the states this should be fun. Once opened it looks like vacuum sealed jerky or something at first glance, the wife's responce is "Oh tobacco", my responce "OH TOBACCO". 

Opening the package the smell is like matured fruit like aged christmas cake/ pudding, fruity but wondefully earthy too. I tried mine for a few days in a P3 tin with a 65% boveda pack just to moisten up a touch. I was only recently introduced to PA in a trade with Freestoke, so this was going to be maybe my third bowl of PA.

A wonderful orange cherry with the first kiss of flame and yes like everyone else it tasted like PA. The raisin and chocolate flavour had died down a lot but also matured to dark chocolate and mince fruit, highly enjoyable and a perfect smoke. Particularly it was great to see how the old PA looked after hearing FOGs talk about the older version, and how well the flavour had maintained. How often do we hear about this or that batch of highly sought after tobacco tasting better or worse then it's predecessor of three months ago? 50 odd years later and PA still tastes like PA, hopefully it stays this way for the next 50 so yet another generation or pipers can break themselves and their pipes in with the simple, honest, humble prince as a companion.

Dan I shall smack you with RG when next possible, I do have to spread some around first.


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

So Andrew, does the smoke spiral out of the bowl clockwise or widershins down there? :ask: Glad to have the Southern Hemisphere getting on the PA wagon!


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## Andrewdk (Feb 3, 2011)

freestoke said:


> So Andrew, does the smoke spiral out of the bowl clockwise or widershins down there? :ask: Glad to have the Southern Hemisphere getting on the PA wagon!


It moves in mysterious ways, and it depends if I'm standing on my head or not.


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## hardcz (Aug 1, 2007)

Here's my review of this baccy... 

Smoking in my meer.


Upon opening, it smells like raspberry chocolate. 

Lit up well, had some what looked like electricity burning up when doing the second light. 

I'm getting a very mild tobacco flavor, great burn, smooth with a little burn on a full retrohale with some sweetness on the tongue.

Because I'm a baby I got some tongue bite, at least it didn't hurt too much, and is giving off a sweet flavor, it's fun.

My pipe tobacco reviews suck....haha

This reminded me of the PA I've smoked in the past, it was enjoyable and cool to have experienced something with that amount of age on it. I can't say I've ever smoked anything that tastes like it before.


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